EP0739279A4 - Horn activator for steering wheels with air bags - Google Patents

Horn activator for steering wheels with air bags

Info

Publication number
EP0739279A4
EP0739279A4 EP95911584A EP95911584A EP0739279A4 EP 0739279 A4 EP0739279 A4 EP 0739279A4 EP 95911584 A EP95911584 A EP 95911584A EP 95911584 A EP95911584 A EP 95911584A EP 0739279 A4 EP0739279 A4 EP 0739279A4
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
air bags
steering wheels
horn activator
activator
horn
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP95911584A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0739279B1 (en
EP0739279A1 (en
Inventor
Harry C Kropp
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Breed Automotive Technology Inc
Original Assignee
Breed Automotive Technology Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Breed Automotive Technology Inc filed Critical Breed Automotive Technology Inc
Publication of EP0739279A1 publication Critical patent/EP0739279A1/en
Publication of EP0739279A4 publication Critical patent/EP0739279A4/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0739279B1 publication Critical patent/EP0739279B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
    • B60R21/203—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components in steering wheels or steering columns
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
    • B60R21/215—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components characterised by the covers for the inflatable member
    • B60R21/2165—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components characterised by the covers for the inflatable member characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening
    • B60R21/21656—Steering wheel covers or similar cup-shaped covers
    • B60R21/21658—Steering wheel covers or similar cup-shaped covers with integrated switches, e.g. horn switches
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q5/00—Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
    • B60Q5/001—Switches therefor
    • B60Q5/003—Switches therefor mounted on the steering wheel
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D1/00—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
    • B62D1/02—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle vehicle-mounted
    • B62D1/04—Hand wheels
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • H01H13/78—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by the contacts or the contact sites
    • H01H13/785—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by the contacts or the contact sites characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2201/00—Contacts
    • H01H2201/022—Material
    • H01H2201/032—Conductive polymer; Rubber
    • H01H2201/036—Variable resistance
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2239/00—Miscellaneous
    • H01H2239/03—Avoiding erroneous switching
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2300/00—Orthogonal indexing scheme relating to electric switches, relays, selectors or emergency protective devices covered by H01H
    • H01H2300/018—Application transfer; between utility and emergency power supply

Abstract

A steering wheel having a pressure-sensitive horn activator integrated with an airbag assembly. The horn activator is configured for quick activation, while avoiding accidental activation due to changes in ambient temperatures and pressures.
EP95911584A 1994-02-14 1995-01-27 Horn activator for steering wheels with air bags Expired - Lifetime EP0739279B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US195215 1994-02-14
US08/195,215 US5398962A (en) 1994-02-14 1994-02-14 Horn activator for steering wheels with air bags
PCT/US1995/001106 WO1995021755A1 (en) 1994-02-14 1995-01-27 Horn activator for steering wheels with air bags

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0739279A1 EP0739279A1 (en) 1996-10-30
EP0739279A4 true EP0739279A4 (en) 2000-12-20
EP0739279B1 EP0739279B1 (en) 2003-09-24

Family

ID=22720485

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95911584A Expired - Lifetime EP0739279B1 (en) 1994-02-14 1995-01-27 Horn activator for steering wheels with air bags

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US5398962A (en)
EP (1) EP0739279B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH09510158A (en)
KR (1) KR100349569B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE250528T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2182956C (en)
DE (2) DE69531819T2 (en)
MX (1) MX9603298A (en)
WO (1) WO1995021755A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (53)

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US5576684A (en) * 1990-07-13 1996-11-19 Sensitron Inc. Horn control system responsive to rapid changes in resistance of a flexible potentiometer
US5269559A (en) * 1992-04-29 1993-12-14 Davidson Textron Inc. Horn actuator incorporating a transducer in a steering wheel
US5789827A (en) * 1993-05-10 1998-08-04 Sensitron, Inc. Two-wire interface to automobile horn relay circuit
US7126583B1 (en) 1999-12-15 2006-10-24 Automotive Technologies International, Inc. Interactive vehicle display system
US5489806A (en) * 1994-05-11 1996-02-06 Morton International, Inc. Airbag horn switch with temperature compensation
US5465998A (en) * 1995-03-17 1995-11-14 Larry J. Winget Air bag cover having a tear seam membrane switch
US5563354A (en) * 1995-04-03 1996-10-08 Force Imaging Technologies, Inc. Large area sensing cell
US5585606A (en) * 1995-04-07 1996-12-17 Morton International, Inc. Readily rupturable membrane switch for airbag module
US5656988A (en) * 1995-07-24 1997-08-12 Breed Technologies, Inc. Force sensors with segmental electrodes
JPH11512564A (en) * 1995-09-12 1999-10-26 テクストロン オートモーティブ カンパニー インコーポレイテッド Armrest electric switch array
US5625333A (en) * 1995-09-22 1997-04-29 Morton International, Inc. Bend sensor horn switch assembly
DE19535721A1 (en) * 1995-09-26 1997-03-27 Opel Adam Ag Steering wheel with integral airbag assembly
DE29608809U1 (en) * 1996-05-15 1996-09-12 Trw Repa Gmbh Airbag module
JP3639045B2 (en) * 1996-06-14 2005-04-13 日本プラスト株式会社 Airbag device
US5900036A (en) 1996-08-30 1999-05-04 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Multi-cylinder apparatus for making optical fibers, process and product
US6236301B1 (en) 1996-09-04 2001-05-22 Sensitron, Inc. Cantilevered deflection sensing system
US6392527B1 (en) 1996-09-04 2002-05-21 Sensitron, Inc. Impact detection system
US5952630A (en) * 1996-09-11 1999-09-14 Textron Automotive Company Inc. Armrest electrical switch array
GB9619547D0 (en) * 1996-09-19 1996-10-30 Alliedsignal Deutschland Gmbh Horn switch
US5991676A (en) * 1996-11-22 1999-11-23 Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. Seat occupant sensing system
US5931494A (en) * 1997-02-12 1999-08-03 Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. Air bag module with remote switch
US5934702A (en) * 1997-03-04 1999-08-10 Trw Inc. Horn switch for air bag module
JP3279221B2 (en) * 1997-05-29 2002-04-30 株式会社東京センサ Pressing force detection sensor
US5942815A (en) * 1997-10-03 1999-08-24 Sheldahl, Inc. Programmable capacitive horn switch
US5961144A (en) * 1997-11-12 1999-10-05 Trw Inc. Folded combination horn pad and driver position sensor assembly and method for providing the assembly
US5864083A (en) * 1997-12-18 1999-01-26 Caren; Michael P. Musical effect controller and system for an electric guitar
US6034600A (en) * 1998-02-20 2000-03-07 Trw Inc. Turn signal system and method with steering wheel mounted control of conventional and lane shift indications
US5979933A (en) * 1998-04-13 1999-11-09 Larry J. Winget Air bag cover assembly including a switch fastenable to an air bag housing assembly
US5965952A (en) * 1998-08-06 1999-10-12 Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. Vehicle horn and control function switch with compensation and method of operation
US6236309B1 (en) * 1999-09-15 2001-05-22 Delphi Technologies, Inc. Horn switch assembly for an airbag module
US6427540B1 (en) * 2000-02-15 2002-08-06 Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. Pressure sensor system and method of excitation for a pressure sensor
FR2863564B1 (en) * 2003-12-16 2007-01-26 Sc2N Sa STEERING WHEEL FOR MOTOR VEHICLE
DE202004018362U1 (en) * 2004-11-26 2006-04-06 Trw Automotive Safety Systems Gmbh & Co. Kg Vehicle steering wheel with airbag module
DE102008049847B4 (en) * 2008-10-01 2010-10-21 Autoliv Development Ab Device for activating a horn for a motor vehicle
DE102010011046A1 (en) * 2010-03-11 2011-09-15 Johnson Matthey Catalysts (Germany) Gmbh Pressure sensor arrangement and Hupeinrichtung for a vehicle
DE102011006448A1 (en) * 2010-03-31 2011-10-06 Tk Holdings, Inc. steering wheel sensors
US8983732B2 (en) 2010-04-02 2015-03-17 Tk Holdings Inc. Steering wheel with hand pressure sensing
DE102011084903A1 (en) 2011-10-20 2013-04-25 TAKATA Aktiengesellschaft Sensor systems for a motor vehicle
WO2013154720A1 (en) 2012-04-13 2013-10-17 Tk Holdings Inc. Pressure sensor including a pressure sensitive material for use with control systems and methods of using the same
DE112013004512T5 (en) 2012-09-17 2015-06-03 Tk Holdings Inc. Single-layer force sensor
US10067567B2 (en) 2013-05-30 2018-09-04 Joyson Safety Systems Acquistion LLC Multi-dimensional trackpad
JP2016536670A (en) 2013-10-08 2016-11-24 ティーケー ホールディングス インク．Ｔｋ Ｈｏｌｄｉｎｇｓ Ｉｎｃ． Self-calibrating tactile haptic multi-touch, multifunction switch panel
DE112015002408B4 (en) 2014-05-22 2022-10-27 Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition Llc Systems and methods for shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel
DE112015002601T5 (en) 2014-06-02 2017-05-04 Tk Holdings Inc. Systems and methods for printing sensor circuits on a sensor mat for a steering wheel
US10466826B2 (en) 2014-10-08 2019-11-05 Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition Llc Systems and methods for illuminating a track pad system
DE102014018497A1 (en) * 2014-12-16 2016-06-16 Autoliv Development Ab A method of generating a horn actuation signal using a dynamometer located in a steering wheel and apparatus for performing this method
DE112016005546T5 (en) 2015-12-04 2018-08-23 Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition Llc Force sensing horn system
US10336361B2 (en) 2016-04-04 2019-07-02 Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition Llc Vehicle accessory control circuit
DE102019117066A1 (en) 2019-04-01 2020-10-01 Preh Gmbh Vehicle steering wheel system with energy-saving, electromechanical triggering device for triggering an acoustic output
DE102019117069A1 (en) * 2019-04-01 2020-10-01 Preh Gmbh Vehicle steering wheel system with improved electromechanical triggering device for triggering an acoustic output
WO2020247697A1 (en) * 2019-06-05 2020-12-10 Liquid Wire Inc. Deformable sensors with selective restraint
US11518334B2 (en) 2019-06-24 2022-12-06 Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition Llc Methods and systems for pre-fixing an airbag module during installation
CN115176216A (en) 2019-12-30 2022-10-11 乔伊森安全系统收购有限责任公司 System and method for intelligent waveform interrupts

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4016047A1 (en) * 1990-05-18 1991-11-21 Bayern Chemie Gmbh Flugchemie Vehicle steering wheel incorporating airbag passenger restraint - with incorporated switch operated by applied pressing to activate vehicle horn
LU88044A1 (en) * 1991-12-23 1993-08-17 Interlink Electronics Europe Sarl AUDIBLE ALARM CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CAR STEERING WHEELS EQUIPPED WITH AN AIR-BAG DEVICE
EP0568764A1 (en) * 1992-04-29 1993-11-10 Davidson Textron Inc. A horn actuator incorporating a transducer in a steering wheel

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US5269560A (en) * 1990-12-18 1993-12-14 Twr Inc. Initiator assembly for air bag inflator
US5222399A (en) * 1991-02-01 1993-06-29 Fel-Pro Incorporated Load washer
US5086652A (en) * 1991-02-25 1992-02-11 Fel-Pro Incorporated Multiple pad contact sensor and method for measuring contact forces at a plurality of separate locations
JPH05105084A (en) * 1991-10-16 1993-04-27 Nippon Plast Co Ltd Steering wheel
US5275432A (en) * 1992-10-30 1994-01-04 Alliedsignal Inc. Air bag deployment door with snap fit
US5265904A (en) * 1993-01-07 1993-11-30 Ford Motor Company Airbag cover with integral horn switch
US5265905A (en) * 1993-01-07 1993-11-30 Ford Motor Company Air bag cover horn blow switch assembly

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4016047A1 (en) * 1990-05-18 1991-11-21 Bayern Chemie Gmbh Flugchemie Vehicle steering wheel incorporating airbag passenger restraint - with incorporated switch operated by applied pressing to activate vehicle horn
LU88044A1 (en) * 1991-12-23 1993-08-17 Interlink Electronics Europe Sarl AUDIBLE ALARM CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CAR STEERING WHEELS EQUIPPED WITH AN AIR-BAG DEVICE
EP0568764A1 (en) * 1992-04-29 1993-11-10 Davidson Textron Inc. A horn actuator incorporating a transducer in a steering wheel

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE250528T1 (en) 2003-10-15
MX9603298A (en) 1997-03-29
WO1995021755A1 (en) 1995-08-17
CA2182956C (en) 2001-05-15
CA2182956A1 (en) 1995-08-17
US5398962A (en) 1995-03-21
DE739279T1 (en) 1997-04-03
DE69531819D1 (en) 2003-10-30
JPH09510158A (en) 1997-10-14
EP0739279B1 (en) 2003-09-24
EP0739279A1 (en) 1996-10-30
KR970701136A (en) 1997-03-17
KR100349569B1 (en) 2003-04-07
DE69531819T2 (en) 2004-07-15

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